Seattle Pistons or Kings?

Joe Dumars glares into the future. He doesn’t like what he sees. The possibility of a Pistonless Detroit looms (the franchise is for sale). Due to their 6 championships, one would think the ball club could never bail. The Sacramento Kings may be on the block too. Former local TNT writer Frank Hughes reported a meeting between Kings owner, George Maloof Jr., and ex-Sonics GM, Wally Walker, (fueling reports that they might move to Seattle). Both towns are down playing the possibility of bouncing. For the Pistons fan, pride (understandably) is the main culprit for turning a cheek to the relocation speculation. It’s probably unfathomable to a Detroit native that grew up on 8 Mile. But until Pistons owner, Karen Davidson, finds a local ownership group to buy the team, Pistons fans should be worried. A Detroit Free Press blog predicted the Pistons stay, but stuffed this wishy-washy sentence into the last paragraph, “Will the Pistons be sold a week from now or a year from now? Only a few people know the answer. If no buyers step up locally, I suppose the chance for relocation is out there.” NBA commissioner David Stern hopes the Pistons don’t move, which is less than a comforting airtight guarantee (but I’ll take it, I wish he would have hoped for the Supes to stay).

Sac-town has been living with these rumors annually for a while, I can see how a Kings fan would be emotionally flat by now. In 2009 there were claims that the NBA would force the Kings to move. One reader response had a couple decent points for why that wouldn’t go down: 1) former NBA player (and Sonic killer) Kevin Johnson is the mayor, and 2) the Kings owners owe the city of Sacramento at least $14 million. But the reader sounded like he was trying to convince himself because he ended his argument with, “Next team to move – Pacers, New Orleans, Charlotte. Get discussing. Wait I’m not even from those areas, but lets get this rumor moving!” What comes first the egg or the pterodactyl, the rumor or the facts? You don’t want your team to move, so change the subject. Deflect. As of now Maloof says he’s not looking to move the team to Seattle, but one thing is obvious: He is exploring possibilities outside of the Sac.

Will the NBA stay in Sacramento?

Maloof told Las Vegas Weekly, no team will move to Sin City without an arena. He lives in Vegas too (he owns the Palms) so he has a handle on what’s possible there right now. So that shoots down the Pistons to Vegas rumor (and any other NBA franchise). Maloof also acknowledged that Kings fans have been worried about losing the team since he took over. The pickle for Kings fans is not the same as in Detroit. The team is not for sale, but the owner is desperate to find a solution to the aging arena dilemma (because of league pressure). Sac-town’s problem is similar to Sea-town’s. The Supes odyssey was the Pistons and Kings combined. This city was held hostage by the league to get a new arena, plus the owner, Howard Schultz, pawned the team one night when he drunk dialed Clayton Bennett. Teams move to new markets. That’s the way of the noodle. But if you get too flippant, and become a robotic shoulder shrugger, you make way for Nick Licata saying the Sonics had, “zero” cultural value.

Real eyes, realize, real lies. — Tupac Shakur.

In Sonicsgate (the superb documentary on the death of the SuperSonics) author Sherman Alexie said Licata’s words were racist. That was one of my favorite moments (out of the many) in the film. I am not trying to be Dr. Doom and Gloom for Detroit or Sacramento, but a lot folks in this city never thought the Supes would leave too. The possibility of the NBA coming back to Seattle is null without a new arena. But regardless these rumors bring up a question. Would you want another town’s team? Memphis, New Orleans and Charlotte are often the teams brought up when speculation about the next franchise fleeing is thrown about. I don’t want another community’s club, players, and tradition — history. I want an expansion franchise called the SuperSonics to build from scratch.

Detroit (and the region) doesn’t need another kidney shot. It would be weird and sad to be Pistonless in pro ball. The Pistons, like the Sonics, have a team name that actually makes sense. It means something to the civic culture and their traditional industry. But just as Jet City has become a nostalgic nickname from the past — so has Motor City.

Neither industry is the monster it once was. If the unthinkable happens in Detroit, I hope they keep the heritage (the team name and colors) like we did in Seattle. As a kid, I emulated Isiah Thomas and wore his number 11 whenever possible, I loved the Bad Boys and now hope the town doesn’t have to go through what we did (and still are).

In Sacramento, for now, their legacy is the tragedy of the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Back then we were all Kings fans. And now I am a Kings fan again, rooting for the town to find a way to keep their basketball team.

Reed Wacker can be reached at reedwacker@gmail.com, his website or his Twitter feed.